President Obama hints at striking ISIS
inside of Syria
inside of Syria
In a statement released by the White House on August 28, 2014, President Obama hinted that he would strike the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), known now as the Islamic State (IS), in Syria without the Syrian government’s permission.
A reporter asked President Obama if he had made a decision about “going after ISIL in Syria.”
President Obama responded that the U.S. and the international community don’t see Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as a legitimate president and that ISIL controls a large portion of the country.
President Obama is quoted in the statement as saying, “I think it would be international opinion-that Assad has lost legitimacy in terms of dropping barrel bombs on innocent families and killing tens of thousands of people. And right now, what we’re seeing is the areas that ISIL is occupying are not controlled by Assad anyway.”
President Obama said that he doesn’t believe Assad has the military “capabilities” to stop ISIL from going further into Syria.
“And, frankly, Assad doesn’t seem to have the capability or reach to get into the areas,” said President Obama.
President Obama told reporters that his decision to go into Syria will not be based on what some perceive as the U.S. having to choose between Assad or ISIL.
The president argued that he doesn’t see a difference between Assad and ISIL because both have carried out “incredible violence” against the people in Syria.
President Obama said, “So I don’t think this is a situation where we have to choose Assad or the kinds of people who carry on the incredible violence that we’ve been seeing there. We will continue to support a moderate opposition inside of Syria, in part because we have to give people inside of Syria a choice other than ISIL or Assad.”
The president’s comments came after ISIL released a video showing the beheading of American journalist James Foley.
And last Tuesday, another video was released showing the beheading of American journalist Steven Sotlof.
Before Sotlof’s death, the Tampa Bay Times reported that Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) said that he supports President Obama going after ISIL in Syria.
The Tampa Bay Times quoted Senator Nelson as saying, “But the head of the snake is in Syria and if you want to kill the snake, you need to cut off its head. We can do this, and I think the announcement two days ago by the administration that they are putting in surveillance flights, manned and unmanned, is a clear step in that direction.”
A reporter asked President Obama if he had made a decision about “going after ISIL in Syria.”
President Obama responded that the U.S. and the international community don’t see Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as a legitimate president and that ISIL controls a large portion of the country.
President Obama is quoted in the statement as saying, “I think it would be international opinion-that Assad has lost legitimacy in terms of dropping barrel bombs on innocent families and killing tens of thousands of people. And right now, what we’re seeing is the areas that ISIL is occupying are not controlled by Assad anyway.”
President Obama said that he doesn’t believe Assad has the military “capabilities” to stop ISIL from going further into Syria.
“And, frankly, Assad doesn’t seem to have the capability or reach to get into the areas,” said President Obama.
President Obama told reporters that his decision to go into Syria will not be based on what some perceive as the U.S. having to choose between Assad or ISIL.
The president argued that he doesn’t see a difference between Assad and ISIL because both have carried out “incredible violence” against the people in Syria.
President Obama said, “So I don’t think this is a situation where we have to choose Assad or the kinds of people who carry on the incredible violence that we’ve been seeing there. We will continue to support a moderate opposition inside of Syria, in part because we have to give people inside of Syria a choice other than ISIL or Assad.”
The president’s comments came after ISIL released a video showing the beheading of American journalist James Foley.
And last Tuesday, another video was released showing the beheading of American journalist Steven Sotlof.
Before Sotlof’s death, the Tampa Bay Times reported that Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) said that he supports President Obama going after ISIL in Syria.
The Tampa Bay Times quoted Senator Nelson as saying, “But the head of the snake is in Syria and if you want to kill the snake, you need to cut off its head. We can do this, and I think the announcement two days ago by the administration that they are putting in surveillance flights, manned and unmanned, is a clear step in that direction.”
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